1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to network identity authentication, and more particularly to a network authentication method for secure verification of identity of a user.
2. Description of the Related Art
Currently, a variety of web services, such as cloud services, have become increasingly popular. In order to secure the web services, user identity verification is absolutely necessary.
However, due to increasing numbers of web users and web crimes, and continuous progress of criminal techniques, for example, an Internet content provider (ICP) needs to provide to each user an identity verification device, e.g., a USB device loaded with a public key infrastructure (PKI) certificate, an integrated circuit (IC) electronic card or a dynamic token. Thus, the cost of customer service for personalization, distribution and troubleshooting is considerable. Further, it is quite inconvenient that the user needs to remember the user ID and the password for each of different ICPs and to have different identity verification devices for the different ICPs. Moreover, for the different ICPs, duplication of investment in user identity authentication may occur.